


It's Not Christmas Without Cookies

by spikesgirl58



Series: 14 days of Christmas [2]
Category: Minions (2015), NCIS
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28009812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikesgirl58/pseuds/spikesgirl58
Summary: For Ducky, the season is all about baking.  For the Minions, it's something else entirely...
Series: 14 days of Christmas [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050131
Comments: 12
Kudos: 15





	It's Not Christmas Without Cookies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Selyndaep](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Selyndaep).



When the holidays started, there was nothing Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard liked doing more than baking. He smiled as he pulled a tray of cookies from the oven.

“And I have the waist to prove it,” he said to no one. He sighed at that point. When his mother was alive, this was always a fun time. There were her corgis to deal with. They loved to unwrap gifts and Duke was fond of ‘christening’ the tree. Mother would chatter like a bird as she lifted one ornament and then another, telling him all about their history. Of course, she had already told him this the day before and the day before that.

“I never thought I would miss you so much, Mother.” He’d thought a change of venue would help and while he loved his new brownstone, there were so many ghosts still clinging to things.

He took some sugar cookies that had been resting in his refrigerator, slid them off onto the parchment paper and then into the oven. After this batch, he would have enough to start making up trays. There would naturally be some for the office, even though he wasn’t officially working there except as a consultant. 

Jethro would fuss, but the shortbread would disappear before anyone else would get a crack at it. Eleanor and Nick would fight over the raspberry-jam drop cookies, Timothy would shyly ask if he could bring something home to Delilah. There would be a special plate for Director Vance and his children, another for Kasie Hines, and, of course, his delightful god daughter, Victoria, and her parents. 

Ducky smiled at that point. While it was true Nicholas was his only surviving biological relative, he still was very rich with friends. He had plenty of money, no real wants, except for perhaps companionship, but his last attempt had not gone well. It was possible that he was meant to go through his golden years without a significant other… well, unless you counted Gibbs, of course. 

The strains of a Christmas carol drifted into him from outside, its melody as familiar as the inside of his mouth. He started to hum along as he gathered up some cookies to give to the singers.

Ducky dusted off his apron and hurried to the front door of his apartment. He started to sing along, “Silver Bells! Silver Bells! It’s Christmas time in the city.” It was one of his favorite songs. It reminded him of being a small boy and discovering the wonders of London with his parents. It had been such a magical time. 

The carolers, it appeared, had their own version, “ _E Bo Di! E Bo D!, Pik's ereinn veela een ta kiku.”_

“What?” Ducky stopped and stared. There was a group of about ten tiny figures, all dressed in matching brown parkas, scarves and mufflers hiding more of their features. “I think if you’ll check, those aren’t quite the words. _Silver Bells_ was written for the movie, _The Lemon Drop Kid_ , starring Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in 1951. It was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans.”*

The singing stopped and the singers formed a group., talking amongst themselves. 

“ _Whaaat tis le bidnib cama?_ ”

_No tut. Traigo jingle bells_

_Jingle bells! Jingle bells! Jingle tadda ta via_.”

“You are much closer. _Jingle Bells_ was originally titled " _The One Horse Open Sleigh._ James Lord Pierpont wrote the melody and lyrics in 1857. It was meant for a Thanksgiving program at a church in Savannah, Georgia where Pierpont was an organist. The song was so well accepted that it was again sung on Christmas day and since then it became one of the most popular [Christmas carols](https://www.liveabout.com/latin-christmas-carol-lyrics-119878).”**

Again, they stopped singing and the nearest figure asked, “Ben tis ba gos?”

Ducky held out the plate of cookies to them. “Forgive the ramblings of an old man. It doesn’t matter. You are doing a lovely job. Have something to eat.”

There was a cheer and Ducky felt his legs being embraced. It was an odd sensation, but it was nice to know his baking was appreciated if not his vast knowledge.

The plate was empty and one little fellow started to cry. He’d obviously not gotten any.

“That’s all right. Don’t cry. I have more.” Ducky was suddenly carried inside upon a wave of shoulders. He somehow ended up on the carpet near the tree and watched the lights blink merrily for a moment or two before a small figure, its muffler removed leaned down over him.

“ _Tank you_!” it said and hurried away. There were many other shouts of _Tank You!_ as the wave of yellow figures rushed away after him.

“You’re welcome,” Ducky said to no one and for a moment wondered if he’d fallen asleep and dreamt everything. Then the oven timer went off and he slowly got to his feet.

His plates of carefully-stacked cookies were gone, only a few crumbs remained behind. A week’s worth of baking gone in a few seconds. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. 

There was a sense of motion in his peripheral vision and he looked down. The small figure was smiling and his expression was so sincere and so happy that Ducky couldn’t help but smile back.

“ _Para tu_.” The figure held something out and then raced away to join his friends.

Ducky looked down at the small stuffed animal. He wasn’t quite sure what animal it was, but it didn’t matter. It was a kind and selfless gesture.

And Ducky had the feeling his world of friends had just grown substantially larger.

*Quoted from History of Christmas Carols - <https://holidappy.com/holidays/History-of-Christmas-Carols-Silver-Bells>

** Quoted from – History of Jingle Bells - https://www.liveabout.com/jingle-bells-history-2456082

Whaaat tis le bidnib cama? – What is he talking about?

No tut. Traigo jingle bells No idea, try Jingle Bells

Jingle bells, jingle tadda ta via - Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way

Ben tis ba gos? - Who is this guy?


End file.
